Is being a cradle Catholic a bad thing?

Lately I've been hearing that being a "cradle Catholic" is bad. That it is somehow a derogatory phrase, or something to be ashamed of, or even that cradle Catholics cannot be saved.

It breaks my heart that this idea is out there because it couldn't be further from the truth. I am proud and blessed to say that I am a cradle Catholic. Yes, I was baptized as an infant--2 months old--and every day I realize more and more how special that is. I'm so thankful that I have been a child of God for all but 2 months of my life.

From our common beginning, our experience as cradle Catholics tends to diverge from there. Some are raised in extremely devout families, some never get to learn about their Catholic faith because their parents fell away, or if you're like me, you're somewhere in-between. By no means was I raised in a very devout house. Sure, I went to Catholic schools, we had Bibles and crucifixes at home, and we went to Mass some Sundays, but it although I learned parts of my faith, I never put those lessons into practice. I rarely prayed. I never went to Confession by my own free will. I never read Scripture on my own.



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This kind of nominal Catholicism is all too common in America, and it's probably why "cradle Catholic" has become somewhat taboo. But being born and raised Catholic is not in itself harmful. It becomes harmful when you do not foster your faith. When you don't seek to learn and put it into practice. When you become complacent in your faith. When you settle for mediocrity and only live your faith within four special walls for one hour for one day a week, then you do give "cradle Catholic" a bad name. That's what puts our souls in danger. I know because that's how I lived for most of my life! And now I look back at all the opportunities I squandered to share how much I love my faith, how the Catholic Church is the fullness of the Christian faith, and how I have a true relationship with a real person: Jesus Christ.

We are saved by our faith. Our true and genuine faith. When that faith is true, then we produce good works, because "faith without works is dead" (James 2:17). These good works become the litmus test for the love that we have for God and for each other (Matthew 22:36-40) and He will know us by our fruits (Matthew 7:17-20).

The best priests, bishops, popes, and church leaders can't make an ounce of difference if their words fall on deaf ears. We all need to take responsibility for our faith, to learn it, nurture it, grow it. Remove the weeds from our life that prevent it from growing (Matthew 13:1-9), water the seeds that we were given as infants at baptism, and let the Word grow within us! Only then can we change the world: it starts with me.

"When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child;

when I became a man, I gave up childish ways."

1 Corinthians 12:20

 

For a long time I settled for the faith I received as a child. It was still so simple and "nice" and rather shallow--it had no real teeth or roots. As adults or when coming into adulthood, why do we settle for the faith we were given as a child? When we get to college, we don't settle for the science lessons we learned in middle school: we seek to know more! When we've learned how to write a full sentence in grade school, we don't stop there. We learn how to write paragraphs and essays and research papers! As we get older, the answers we were given as children about life are no longer enough. We want to know the how's and why's. So why, then, do we settle for the knowledge that we learned as children about our faith? Why is it enough to learn about Jesus and His Church at an elementary level and carry it with us through adulthood? We can't stop learning and growing spiritually. It is a great disservice to ourselves, to our neighbors, and to God.

 

But don't become discouraged. Don't lose faith. Don't be ashamed to be a cradle Catholic--embrace it! Start with prayer. Ask God to soften your heart and change your desires. Ask for eyes to see the weeds that choke your original baptismal grace, and the strength to get rid of those weeds. It will get easy from there. You'll discover a zeal and a hunger to learn. You'll have more room inside yourself for Jesus and you'll truly begin to encounter Him. Only then will your life be transformed and your faith will grow into what you know it should be. Pray, and know that I'm praying for you.

 

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